Title: Where You Lead
Author: Mary Calmes
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Novella (82pgs)
ISNB: 978-1-62798-476-8
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (25th December 2013)
Heat Level: Moderate – Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: ATF agent Peter Lomax isn’t a hearts and flowers kind of guy, but he can be possessive, and it caused problems until Carver Fleming. Carver may be part of the art world, but he gets Peter, loves belonging to the man, and Peter treasures the way Carver understands them together.
Carver loves Peter, but he’s fully aware that six months doth not a commitment make. Carver wants to make the relationship last forever, but he’ll have to leave their life in Chicago to take care of the family he loves. He wants to do it with Peter by his side, but going from the city of Chicago to tiny Colt, Kentucky is a big change.
Carver has only one Christmas wish: Please, oh please, let Peter fall enough in love with Carver’s family to follow Carver home.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4470
Review: Pete adores his boyfriend Carver, he wants to spend his life with the man and they are perfectly happy together, but then Carver drops a bomb and Pete has choices to make; lose the man he loves for the life he currently has or give up his life to be with the man he loves. Carver loves everything about Pete and wants to spend his life with him, but Carver has to go home to the small town he grew up in to help his mother and father. Not wanting to give Pete up he drops the bomb on Pete at the last-minute and begs him to just give him a chance to show Pete how great their life could be in Colt, Kentucky.
Ohhhh, now this is a tense romance where everything seems peachy, until a bombshell is dropped that has angst seeping into the relationship. Pete and Carver met at a gallery and it was lust at first sight. It rapidly evolved into a committed loving relationship and then Carver gets news that he doesn’t share until they are on the way to Carver’s parents for the holidays. Pete is understandably pissed and feels like Carver cut him out of an important decision and his life. Carver wanted to present a fait accompli, a done deal with only Pete’s agreement needed, but Pete isn’t happy with Carver.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and like the fact that even though he wasn’t happy Pete still gave Carver’s hometown a chance. Carver was so desperate to keep Pete that he hid that Carver had to move back to his parents. While the decision was born out of love, it was still wrong for him to have excluded Pete. Especially, as it affected Pete as well. Pete is a sweetheart, he fits perfectly with Carver’s hometown and is desperate not to lose Carver. He weighs everything before he makes a decision and he never stops loving Carver even for a second. No matter how pissed he is at him.
These two men are a romance made in heaven. They fit together beautifully and love each other fiercely. When life interferes its Pete who has to make the hard choices. Because, to a son who loves his parents, Carver doesn’t have a choice. Carver’s idea of dropping everything on Pete at the last-minute works, because Pete has to give the small town a chance. Although you feel pissed on Pete’s behalf, you do understand why Carver did it. Carver wants Pete and he will do anything to keep him.
This story is another feather in Mary Calmes’ hat. She has that special touch with her feel good stories and this is another one that will leave you blissfully happy.
I recommend this to those who love Christmas stories, love that overcomes any obstacle, hot sexy men who are blissfully happy, a touch of angst and a very happy Christmas ending.